Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-02-12
KEEP CATTLE TO THE HILLS.

cality. Along the river bottoms dead
cattle were seen In some ~profusion aud
ulso on AL island IN close promixity TO
Hathaway, but up in the hills not q
dead animal was visible, nor any
ready to die, on the contrary they were
lively and busily engaged in cropping
the grass from the spots barred by the
wind. These hill cattle were in fairly
good flesh and looked hardy and as
though they were able TO withstand
the everest weather possible. That
the greatest lops will BIZ confined TO
such cattle AS are allowed TO drift down
into the river bottoms can not he sue
cessfully controverted aud thatthis luss
could have been materially decreased
by proper range riding and attention,
UGH Ms can only be obtained from tie
employment OF triple the number now
or during the winter engaged in
that work is equally certain. We
hear reports from day TO day; so and SO
saw " bunch Of cattle down In the
river bottom, aud they were freezing
to death or dying of starvation. There
is the remedy cited above aud It should
be applied. The range men contend
hat cattle would come Out all right ia
the spring with probably u slightly in
creased percentage of loss W. other
winters, could they be more generally
handled. Weare giving the opinion of
practical cowmen not owners or manag-
ers but The workers. The COW boys who
save thousands of dollars annually TO
their employers by attending to the de-
tails Of the stock growing business.
1t is in the winter that range work is
most laborious aud uncomfortable.
The men are, II good men. continu-
ally OF horseback, working over an
area Of ten miles square, sometimes
more than that, driving the cattle out
Into the hills where shelter and feed
can be obtained. They work with Q
will, but where there are so few ricers
and SO much stock, the endlessness of
their endeavors is apparent. No won
der they grow discouraged and resolve
to take things easy for u day and
then remorsefully 20 about their tack
on the next aud notice the difference
their inactivity of one day has caused.
II might not be perceptible to a green
hand but their to observant natures the
difference is instantly noted. Among
eastern exchanges we notice column
after column attacking the heartiess
ness and brutality Of the western cat
tie growers system Of wintering stock.
Are there not some just grounds for
their remarks? They clamor for win.
ter protection for the herds aud. feed,
and the cattle king Is denominsted a
heartless monopolizer. As to sheds
for winter protection the idea IL a
good u and as stated a short time
since is in operation in some
parts Of the territory with more or less
success. But these cattle sheds In
themselves demand q largely increas-
ed force Of men to handle the herds.
Winter feeding a. a last resort must be
adopted but In this country the cost
would be enormous, rendering such q
course Of treatment practically impos.
sible. This winter will be productive
Of better range features than known
for years; the grass will flourish and
the streams De ''llve" during the sum
mer. In this connection an extract
from the Rocky Mountain Husband
man is not inappropriate. An editor
iai in that paper gives expression 70
our sentiments much better than II
our own production:
Do not be discouraged although the
beautiful snow" spreads a desth-like
pail W. the earth and our mails are
snow bound, business temporarily sus.
pended and dire calamit, to our live
stock interest threatened. We have
heard the dismal howl of the wintry
blast before and seen these mountains
wrapped In a winding sheet Of snow
too heavy for animal kind to break
through; have seen thirty-hve pei
cent. Of our horned stock and fifty pei
cent OF our sheep perish, and yet we
did not go TO the eternal ''bow-wows.'
The lesson proved q beneficial one "a
our wool growers as this one may tc
our cattle owners. The winter will
In all probability. relax it's grasp with
In ten or fifteen days, and should IL dc
so and a favorable spring follow, the
loss will not be as great as now seems
inevitable, and with what stock Is left
our people can start anew and build
upon q surer foundation. With the
copious water supply assured by on
vast treasures Of snow gathered In ouI
mountains and q seasOnable spring
our ranges will come forth anew and
by adopting the system Of winter
feeding we can secure az great an
income from the small herds Oh
we have In the past few years beer
realizing from the large ones under
the exclusive range system and tn,
wheels Of progress will roll on as o.
yore-a new,era having been reached In
animal industry where things are les.
tickle, where success will no longel
hang on 30 slender q thread as borea
nor fortune rest In the palm OF th'
! winter king.